More » Frequently Asked Questions

What do you mean by single-origin coffee?Single-origin coffee is coffee grown within a single known geographic location. In other words, the coffee can be from a single farm, or it can also mean that a specific collection of beans (like a cooperative of farmers) come from a single country. The name of the coffee is then usually the place it was grown (like Ethiopian or Sumatra Mandheling). Single-origins are viewed by some as a way to get a specific taste.

What is a “peaberry”?The normal development of the coffee cherry creates two seeds, which grow with their flat sides facing each other. Infrequently, one seed fails to thrive and a single, round bean fills the available space. Often sorted out and sold separately, these single beans are known as “peaberries” and are technically mutant growths. Some in the coffee trade argue that peaberries have a richer, more concentrated flavor than normal beans, but others claim that they cannot discern a difference in a blind cupping. Today, the most famous peaberry is probably Tanzanian, where the plants seem more prone to producing peaberries than anywhere else. But you can often find peaberry-only versions of Kona, Kenyan AA, Java, and other types of “famous name” coffees if you shop around long enough at specialty coffee houses and online shops.

How should I store my coffee?It is often recommended that coffee beans be stored in a glass, air-tight container. Air and moisture are coffee’s principle enemies. Glass is best because it doesn’t retain the odors of the beans or the oils, which could contaminate future beans stored in the same container. However, if you use glass, make sure the container is not exposed to light, as sunlight is believed to reduce freshness.

Ideally, buy only what coffee can be consumed in a week or two from the time it was roasted. This is the only way to have truly fresh coffee. Some often suggest to store whole beans in the freezer. There is still alot of debate out there as to whether that is a good idea. What we do recommend is that you do not freeze ground coffee. There are two key problems here. One, the freezing will damage some of subtle tastes in the coffee and two, when the coffee is taken out the container will sweat, exposing your coffee to moisture

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How can I contact you?You can contact us by emailing us at info@peakbean.co.uk, or go to our contact page.